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![My Top 5 Commander Pre Cons of 2025! [That I Wish I Had Bought]](https://dahubbz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/tdc-8-teval-the-balanced-scale-1.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "My Top 5 Commander Pre Cons of 2025! [That I Wish I Had Bought]")
My Top 5 Commander Pre Cons of 2025! [That I Wish I Had Bought]
I play casual commander with my wife. So the need to buy new pre cons is a feeling we get very seldomly. It normally takes a big set or something we are fond of to get us to buy one. For example, my extended family loves Lord of the Rings. They said they would learn to play magic if I got the decks. We had several game nights playing those. Fallout is one of my favorite IPs, so naturally I grabbed all of them. So as you can see, I rarely buy pre-cons, but when I do, I tend to get them all. My wife and I also got the Eldrazi and Sliver pre-cons from Commander Masters. Outside of that, I’m normally a buy singles, build my own decks kinda guy. With that said, 2025 presented several commander pre-cons that hit my radar, but I didn’t pick up. These are the decks I wished I had grabbed.
#5 Counter Intelligence (Edge of Eternities)
Here’s something funny. I almost asked for this Pre-Con for Christmas. At the end of the of the day, I just wasn’t very interested in the way that it played. That may sound weird for the #5 deck I wished I had bought, but the truth is, I liked parts of it more than the whole of it.
Kilo really interest me as a proliferate Tiny Leader commander. My thought process was to create a Uwr infect deck with Blighted Agent, and Prologue to Phyresis, then back that up with proliferate triggers from Ripples of Potential, Experimental Augury, and Thrummingbird. One problem I had is I’d rather Kilos be Grixis [BUR] so I could have Voidwing Hybrid and Anoint with Affliction. So honestly, I did not pull the trigger on this one, even though parts of it are cool. The mana base also has cards I like, too, which is a plus.
#4 World Shaper [Edge of Eternities]
Another Edge of Eternities Pre-Con. Admittedly, this set had a cool aesthetic and backed it up with some sweet cards. I have yet to play with the station/spacecraft cards. I’m kind of an old man at this point, so new things scare me. However, the the backing theme of saccing seems very coherent, which is not always present in a pre-con. This would be the deck I would buy for my wife. Despite Mardu being her favorite color scheme, she loves sacrificing for burn damage. I think the land subtheme looks interesting as well. So overall, I like the look of how this one plays.
Korvold as a back-up commander is kind of insane, and truthfully would probably be my wife’s commander. Scouring Swarm is one of my favorite cards from the new set. Exploration Broodship is a great call back to the OG Exploration. I’m limiting it to three pictures per deck, however there’s so many good, playable reprints in here its crazy. Harrow, Mayhem Devil, Satyr Wayfinder, Tear Asunder, The Gitrog Monster, Tireless Tracker, Moraug, Fury of Akoum, and Oracle of Mul Daya are all good inclusion and we could probably go on and on.
#3 Y’shtola, Night’s Blessed [Final Fantasy]
This could have been #1 as it was certainly the one I was most tempted to buy. It also is probably the closest to my actual playstyle. So why didn’t buy it? 2 big reasons. 1. I actually built my Esper commander from this very same set, Noctis. So I was conflicted building two commanders from the same set that were the same color. Their playstyle are very different, so I am not ruling her out forever, but I am not in a rush. Secondly, I play mostly 1v1 commander with my wife. So that really lowers her triggering potential. Since she triggers on each end step, playing 1v1 instead of multiplayer free for all cuts from four triggers to two. That was honestly the biggest reason I didn’t get this one. Now, don’t get me wrong, she would still let me draw two additional cards a turn loop. The second effect would still be in play and is what draws me to her in the first place. It just gets harder because her second ability is meant to trigger her first.
Admittedly, I found the reprint value here a little weak. It introduced Tataru Taru which seems to be approaching all star status. It does include one of my favorite combos: Torrential Gearhulk and Sublime Epiphany, allowing to you make multiple Gearhulks and cast multiple spells. Dig Through Time and Into the Story are sweet. Frantic Search and Unwind seem like omissions here.
#2 Temur Roar (Tarkir Dragonstorm)
Tarkir is my favorite plane along with Theros, so I was really tempted to grab each of the pre-cons. Ultimately I passed because April is so hectic [my anniversary, my wife’s birthday, and my daughter’s birthday] so I had very little in the way of spare time or money for pre-con decks. Temur is my favorite 3 color scheme, but it is also one of the hardest for me to build. I like the idea of Temur monsters [as Surrak Dragonclaw was the closest I’ve come to building a Temur commander]. Not sure if I want to lock myself into dragons. My wife has a Kaalia deck and has all our good red dragons. Ultiamtely, upon revisiting this deck, Eshki Dragonclaw has caught my attention as a Temur Adventure deck. I want a Temur commander deck. I’m just not sure who I want as my commander.
These are some really cool cards. I like the look of Sarkhan here. I think its a neat card.
#1 Sultai Arisen [Tarkir Dragonstorm]
My number one is Teval. My top 3 all interested in one way or another, but ultimately I did not pull the trigger on any of them. Teval is in one of my favorite color schemes and I love the play pattern. Unfortunately, my favorite commander deck is Mothman, the Sultai commander from Fallout. Still, this deck seems awesome. The reason its number 1 on my list is because it created a strategy I really want to play. I’m thinking about taking this idea down to Tiny Leader or Pauper EDH. When a card leaves your graveyard.
I actually didn’t realize Kheru Goldkeeper wasn’t in the pre-con. That’s actually crazy. Either way, I was thinking baout taking Kishla Skimmer to Tiny Leader and Goldkeeper to Pauper EDH. Thats getting beside the point. Point is, I like the strategy of this pre-con more than any of the other ones we’ve looked at. Delve and Renew, both sultai mechanics, play nice here. Flashback cards like Think Twice also seem okay. All in all, this strategy is the one I’m watching closely!
So there you have it. I think 2025 will be a year a lot of people look back on with a stink eye because most of the sets don’t feel like Magic. 3 Universe Beyond sets, a set in space, and a set about cars make it a weird year. Of course we returned to a fan favorite plane in Tarkir, so I cannot complain. Also, Spiderman and Avatar not getting commander decks I think are to their detriment.
So I will probably not be picking up any commander pre-cons, but next year Lorwyn might give us an elf pre-con and I am all about that! Anyway, thanks for reading. I will see you guys in the next one.
5 Uncommons I want in Pauper! (MtG)
The Pauper format has been one of my main TCG loves for as long as I’ve known the format. The history of magic and the strength of reprints and downshifts over the course of 30 years means Pauper has a wide array of affordable strategies present for Pauper enjoyers. However, there is always room for more cards and archetypes. Here’s five uncommons I’d love to see downshifted to common.
Quick Note: For anyone who doesn’t know. The card game Magic the Gathering has a non-rotating format called Pauper. The card pool here is any legal card with a common printing.
Ajani Pridemate
Here is a card I cannot belive has not seen a downshifting to common. This was an iconic card when I got into magic due to its interaction with the Soul Sisters, cards that gained you life when creatures entered the battlefield. He got a second life in standard and proved to be a reasonable menace still. I think Soul Sister’s would like to be a deck. It certainly has gotten tools over the year, but nothing quite like a beat stick Ajani’s Pridemate would be.
Gatekeeper of Malakir
When I joined the Pauper community, the defacto iconic deck was Mono Black control. Playing a suite of removal, discard and controlly creatures top ended with Gray Merchant of Asphodel. It did just get Accursed Marauder last year, but Gatekeeper would be an additional black pip for Gary. Im not sure which card would be better or if you just play Gatekeeper in the sideboard for additional edict effects. Either way, Gatekeeper is kind of a homeless card right now.
Strangleroot Geist
This card screams perfect for Pauper. I think it threads a good needle of being multi-archetypal while also not being so strong it would warp the format. Haste means any Green/Red or even mono green would probably want to play it. Because it has Undying it actually gets better in sac decks. Golgari Gardens would probably love it. Any deck that runs Fanatical Offering like cards or any deck trying to make Bayou Groff work, would probably love having this guy. I think this might be the card I want the most that also would probably be the least controversial.
Baleful Strix
Maybe I am being unreasonable? I don’t know. I don’t think its too unreasonable because being 1 toughness and blue means red and black have tons of ways of getting around it. Being an artifact means Red and White can destroy it. Having flying and being an artifact means green has ways of dealing with it too. As well as the fact you can just attack into it, even if it takes out what you swing with. I dont think people are sideboarding for this guy to be fair. The issue more so is it will already have replaced itself, but I don’t think it warps the meta or anything. I do think a lot of decks could use it. Blink decks, midrange decks, affinity decks, all could probably make use of everybody’s favorite bird.
Shardless Agent
Maybe this steams from me loving Sultai Cascade in Legacy. Or maybe it comes from seeing Shardless Agent printed into Modern, get a home in Temur Rhinos, and than that deck being banned into oblivion before I could play it. Maybe a 3 mana cascade is too good for pauper? I’m not sure because you’re not cascading into Crushing Footfalls or Living End. Yes, its a good value card but I think Pauper keeps it in check. We do have Fire/Ice to play with. But we also dont have the cool free 3 mana counterspells to get around cascade either. I do think this might be the hardest one to imagine because it actually got upshifted to rare.
What do you guys think of these cards? Are there any here that would be busted if downshifted? I think Modern Horizon 3 injected enough power into the format where these probably aren’t going to redefine the meta at this point.
Firing it Back Up (Life Update!)
Where do we start? I started this blog about 10 years ago or so and have had varying degrees of motivation. I’ve always said running my YouTube channel was my main side hobby and the blog has often taken backseats when I’m in a YouTube mood or when I was really having to work a lot for my old company.
Well, a couple of things have happened. A. I left my old job. Me, my wife and kids moved 1 state over to be closer to my dad. B. My wife was the one who landed a job when we moved, so I have the honor of being a stay at home dad for now.
Next, and this is sadly unfortunate. My PC didn’t survive the move. I’m thinking the graphic card died (though maybe it just got roughed up from the move). Either way I haven’t been able to resolve the issue yet. That is unfortunate because I wanted to take this time to get better at video editing as well as continue to further my YouTube channel. I also prefer writing on PC, but at least I can still publish my blog via my phone so not all is lost.
Well, I’ve also taken to trying to write bigger projects. I am currently writing what I hope will turn into a comic book. My wife and I will try to run independently as well as writing an all ages fantasy story for my daughter. Those are both ambitious for me, but something I’d like to do.
Some topics I hope to return to the blog are: Manga Monday, Random Anime Review Wednesdays, and Top Five Fridays. I may add TCGs back into the mix. However, leaving my old job has limited my interaction with them lately.
When the blog started, it was all about video games, mangas, and anime. I’ll try to do a post talking more about what I’ve read, watched, and played during my hiatus. I have several blog topics saved from where I wrote YouTube scripts that are easy to turn into blog posts.
I’ve also had a second kid. Something I feel like I haven’t really posted about.
Lastly, if there’s anything you want the blog to focus more on, let me know. Right now I’m into retro games (Xbox, PS2, N64, Gamecube), watching One Piece to try to get current (episode 812), and watching my Switch 2 pre order everyday to make sure it doesnt get canceled.
Lately, I haven’t really been in a writing for the blog mood. As described, I’ve already mentioned the things that currently interest me in writing. However, while I wait to see what I’m doing about my PC, the blog may become my outlet to talk about mangas and video games.
Expect blogs to return starting Monday with some sort of Manga Monday update. Some post may or may not trickle out over the next week.
I’m also trying the keto diet this summer, coupled with walking 10,000 steps a day and planning our family’s 2nd Disney World vacation. So, if you’d like to see me make posts about that, just let me know.
I think that’s everything to cover today. If you happen to read this, give me some ideas. Otherwise, expect Manga Mondays and topics about video games to start pouring out later next week.
Thank you for reading. Have a great day. Subscribe to the DaHubbz YouTube channel to see the content I was making the last few years.
Top Five Pokemon Designs From Generation 2 (Johto)
Generation 2 is one of my favorite in the long running franchise. This isn’t a facts based list, it is more opinionated in nature so you’re list my vary. Now, to keep it from being obvious I will exclude starters and legendaries. Here we go!
#5 Gligar- Okay, this is my shameless pick (admittedly, some of these are.). The Pokemon anime has influenced my love for certain Pokemons. This is no doubt one of those times. Gligarman was an awesome part of the anime mimicking Batman. In Gen 4, Gligar would get an evolution which makes him even more awesome. In all honesty, there are plenty of worthy Pokemon for this spot such as Steelix, Donphan, Slowking, but I got to go with my homeboy here. (Even if he wasn’t great in this generation, he got better as the game series evolved.
#4 Crobat- My second favorite Pokemon in the series is admittedly not the coolest Pokemon from this generation. I went through a phase (If you ask my mom anyway) of liking poison Pokemons. During this time Pokemons like Arbok and Weezing soared up my favorites list, but the Pokemon who moved the highest was Crobat. He has a very sleek design, he single handily saved one of the worst evolution lines in Pokemon. He becomes really sweet in Gen 4 when his movepool catches up to his design. He is one of the fastest Pokemons in the game too which is nice bonus!
#3 Heracross/Scizor- Yes, I could have these guys as separate entries and avoided the who Gligar entry, but I tend to wrap up these early Bug Pokemons at times like these. I never used Scizor but his design was incredible. I found him to have the better design over Heracross but there’s a few reasons I like Heracross better. For starters, Ash had a Heracross in the anime. Again this is always a plus (except it made me dislike Charizard haha). Secondly, Heracross was easier and earlier to obtain. Heracross could be found near the start of the game by headbutting trees. For Scizor, you needed a Scyther and then trade that Scyther to a friend while it held a metal coat. (and who has friends, amirite?). Though I prefer Heracross, I’ll give the edge here to Scizor.
![Pokemon - The Johto Journeys - Crimson Warrior (Vol. 46) [VHS]: Unshô Ishizuka, Rica Matsumoto, Ikue Ôtani, Megumi Hayashibara, Mayumi Iizuka, Inuko Inuyama, Shin'ichirô Miki, Yûji Ueda, Satomi Kôrogi, Kôichi Sakaguchi, Rikako Aikawa ... - Amazon.com](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51VX6HB0MAL._AC_.jpg)
#2 Tyranitar- When you remove starters and legendaries, I thought for sure this would be #1. He is the pseudo legendary for the generation one of the few pseudos, if not the only one, that isn’t Dragon type. He was used to show off the power of the newly introduced Dark type. It follows the traditional Pseudo evolution line design. Adorable baby form, begrudgingly horribly designed middle stage, and finally a kick butt ultimate form. Removing personal bias, Tyranitar my be the best designed Pokemon in the generation, but he’s my number #2
![Post [185565903094] - jasonstarr-x44.tumblr.com - Tumbex](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5a61110cbd308c828e832ffa4cec1f16/tumblr_pbpj0nna0a1sgge6vo1_640.gifv)
Let’s breakdown the honorable mentions! I already name dropped Slowking, Skarmory and Steelix. Ampharos is another great Pokemon. Then there’s Donphan, Ursaring, Sneasal, Espeon, Umbreon and Hitmontop. This generation only introduced about 100 new Pokemons but they made it count. There were a few duds like Dunsparce, Jumpluff and Qwilfish along the way. But the cream of the crop sure did rise to the occasion!
#1 Houndoom- Odds are, you did not guess this. But Dark types were rolling in this generation (as I also like Murkrow.). Houndoom combined two awesome types in dark and fire. Dogs are by far my favorite animal so I do tend to like the dog based Pokemons (I love Snubbull too). I actually like his design more than Arcanine who is another epic dog Pokemon. Of course he would go on to get better moves in later games and even a mega which was awesome. I am fully aware this is a bias pick but I think, under these restrictions, Houndoom could make a lot of people’s top 5 coolest designed Pokemon of this generation.
So there you have it. Certainly some favoritism thrown in there as I’m sure Steelix would probably make a lot of people’s list. Gen 2 has really cool looking Pokemons. Be sure to let me know your favorites down in the comments below!
Ranking A Hat in Time Worlds! (A Top Five Friday)
A Hat in Time is broken into 7 Worlds and an over world. Here’s my ranking!
#8 Time’s End.
Honestly, there’s nothing really to this. It’s a final stage and it is great at that. Lots of enemies, fire, and using most if not all of the hats. All the characters make a reappearance and the boss fight is epic. It’ s checks a lot of boxes that a final stage need. However, I enjoy more laid back levels, beach levels, wood levels. I’m just not a big fan of what this level is doing, but I do appreciate it.
#7 Alpine Skyline.
This ranking kills me. It truly does. It is not as ambitious or unique as the other levels. The atmosphere isn’t quite as beautiful as Mafia Town or Artic Cruise. However, the platforming time pieces are some of, if not, the best time pieces in the game (looking at you Windmill.) I think there is a lot to love in this level. It just does not feel as unique as the other stages.
#6 The Spaceship (Over World).
As far as over worlds go, this is one of the weaker ones, admittedly. Compare this to the over world of Super Mario 64 or Sunshine. It is not as interesting to traverse or explore as many of its competitions. However, there are plenty of 3D platformers without an over world (Spyro, Ape Escape, Super Mario Odyssey), so I will never take an overworld for granted. Still, there is plenty to do such as playing the text based adventure computer, the bird band, unlocking space rifts and much more. This alone prevents this from being just a bland generic over world.
#5 Artic Cruise
This level might have the best atmosphere in the whole game. It introduces some fan favorite characters such as the seals, Walrus the Captain, and of course, the fish dude. The time pieces are surprisingly diverse for a level that takes place on a boat. Artic Cruise was the first DLC for A Hat in Time and it ushered in a few new mechanics such as the shattered time pieces and the errand running missions. However, there is no denying that if you played the 2nd mission Ship Shape, you rage quitted. I did not beat this mission before they applied the first update which I believed slowed down how fast the captain got mad. I’ve talked to a few of my viewers who actually didnt find the levels hard and enjoyed it. I’m convinced they did not play it prior to the update. Either way, there’s a lot to love here, but pre-update, this level was beyond frustrating.
#4 Battle Of The Birds
Personally, #3-#4 could be interchanged here. I elected to put Battle of the Birds here at #4 because I find it to be less of a platforming world. However, there is no denying their creative juices were flowing the most aggressively on this world. No levels are the same. As the first mission has you playing a stealth based level where you sneak around Dead Bird Studios. The second level has you trying to solve a murder on a train. The third level seems like a throw away level that has Hat Kid running around gaining diva points. The fourth mission is one of the best in the games, Train Rush. While the following mission, The Big Parade is one of the worst missions in the game. Battle of the Birds also brings to the small screen 2 of the most iconic characters in the whole game: DJ. Grooves and the Conductor.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 2 Battle of the Birds - Act 1: Dead Bird Studio [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NaIG80W_eGc/hqdefault.jpg)
#3 Subcon Forest
Neither Battle of the Birds or Subcon Forest really blew me away when I first played the game. As time has gone on I’ve learned to appreciate these stages. Subcon Well felt like a Wind Waker level. Queen Vanessa’s Manor is a fan favorite stage. What other game is going to have you fight an evil possessed toilet!? And of of course, Snatcher. Nuff Said.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 3 Subcon Forest - Act 1: Contractual Obligations [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1Htmc0RP4DA/maxresdefault.jpg)
#2 Mafia Town
This is the perfect introduction stage to a 3D platformer. The first level is a tad scripted but speed runner found out early you dont have to follow the main path. Its very reminiscent of Bomb-OMB Battlefields on Super Mario 64. A nice open world to explore, a variety to Enemies to defeat, and more collectibles than you can shake an umbrella at. The acts are nice and diverse while never straying too far from what makes 3D platformers so good. The stage is bright for the most part which I think is always a plus. Al in all, I think this is the best stage in the base game.
#1 Nyakuza Metro
The latest, and last planned DLC for now. This stage is awesome. I do Let’s Plays for A Hat in Time and this stage just felt special while playing through it. Past the first stage, this level becomes free flowing. Meaning you dont select an act. Instead, you are just dropped into the hub space of the metro where you are left to your own devices. The metro itself is broken down into several colored sections. Each section has a few time pieces and most of the sections are a blast to explore. The cats aren’t quite as cute as the seals, but I wont hold that against them. The biggest knock I would have against the level is that it feels a little more tight than Mafia Town. That doesn’t really detract from the platforming to get to the time pieces, but it hinders just messing around the stage in your free time. The metro is darker but that almost compliments the atmosphere nicely so I cannot complain. Still, these hardly are point lowering grumbles. I’m just saying Mafia Town or Nyakuza Metro could easily flip flop as the #1
So there you have it. I’ve been trying to do these more consistently even as I work more. As a result that hurts proof reading and adding pictures. I pretty much write Stream of Consciousness so bare with me guys!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!
Top Five Creepiest Pokedex Entry/Pokemons.
Happy Early Halloween! Today, we will be addressing just who are the creepiest, scariest, and downright dreadful Pokemons. This will be inspired by designs, actions, and lore all created from the game, show, and Pokedex entry alike. I hope you guys enjoy!
#5 Banette
Banette makes this list solely on the back of Pokedex entry. “A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it.” Personally, I have never cared for Banette as a Pokemon. I normally don’t go for the whole “doll come to life” storyline. However, there is no denying that that angle is enough to freak people out. As a kid, I wanted to get in on the Goosebumps hype. The book I tried to read was Night of the Living Dummy 3 (even though this was probably a decade and a half ago, I still remember the cover. haha) I don’t know if the book was actually scary or if I just was so not into creepy stuff that I never bothered finishing it. Either way, I can respect people’s fear of Banette.
#4 Yamask
Yamask is plenty creepy on their own. However, they are not really that scary. Yet, their lore and backstory is as sad as it is eerie. The mask that Yamask carry with them are believed to be their faces. It is also said that they look at their former faces and cry. Again, this entry is more sad than terrifying, but I think it is enough to be creepy.
#3 Phanthump
Phanthump is definitely a Pokemon I have gone back and forth with here. On one end, Phanthump tries to make friends with people in the woods. However, their efforts ultimately end up getting the people lost in the woods. Not great. One Pokedex entry even goes as far as to say “These Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died in the forest. Their cries sound like eerie screams.” Really, I made this list assuming anything talking about dead kids in a kids game would make the list. I was thoroughly surprised at how many Pokemons deal with dead kids. Truly startling.
#2 Drowzee
Trust me when I say there is plenty going for Drowzee to make him number 1. However, for tonight, he will have to settle as number 2. Drowzee’s design is offputting but it mostly looks dopey. Not really too menacingly looking. However, Drowzee is a Gen I Pokemon. We have a rich history of Pokedex entries to pull from for it. Here are some of my favorite.
“If you sleep by it all the time, it will sometimes show you dreams it has eaten in the past.”
“If you think that you had a good dream, but you can’t remember it, a Drowzee has probably eaten it.”
“It remembers every dream it eats. It rarely eats the dreams of adults because children’s are much tastier.”
“Puts enemies to sleep then eats their dreams. Occasionally gets sick from eating bad dreams.”
Drowzees are creepy, man. They seem lighthearted until they start eating your kids dreams. One thing I can totally appreciate though is the design space of Drowzee. The creators definitely looked like they had some fun writing those entries. They use Drowzee as a way of explaining some of the greatest mysteries about dreams. Such as why we forget our dreams the next day.
Here are the Honorable Mention
Gengar- I put some pressure on myself to try and squeeze the OG Spooky Boy into the list. However, while he is undoubtedly creepy at the start of the anime, he became a good friend of Ash’s and that hurt the creepy factor. Still he is the Godfather of Ghost Pokemons everywhere. For that, he will always have my respect.
Drifbloon- This Mon is super disturbed. Drifbloons take kids by their hands and just lead them off. Yeah, they literally kidnap kids presumably to kill them… (They also hate fat kids)
Duskull- I’m just going to list some of my favorite pokedex entries for this guy.
“There is an oft-told admonishment given to misbehaving children that this Pokémon will spirit away bad children who earn scoldings from their mothers.”
“It loves the crying of children. It startles bad kids by passing through walls and making them cry.”
#1 Mimikyu-
The second Mimikyu was revealed, I knew this guy would make this top five. I’ve heard some good rumors revolving around this guy. Like how whatever it’s real form is, no one liked it. It chose to dress up like Pikachu so people would give it attention. Than, of course, there is this entry. “Its actual appearance is unknown. A scholar who saw what was under its rag was overwhelmed by terror and died from the shock.”. I don’t know if we’ve had an entry where someone died just from looking at it. Somehow on Pokemon’s official site, they only have Mimikyu listed at 20! Come on. This guy might be the creepiest Pokemon yet.
Check out their full list here https://www.pokemon.com/us/halloween/countdown/
Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Let me know what you guys think are the creepiest, scariest Pokemons!
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 3
Part 3 of ranking all the Mario 64 courses. This time we will be examining the secret stages. Check out the previous parts here:
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 1
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2
This list was tough to construct. Most of the levels are tiny, upsetting, or forgettable. Oh well, here we go:
The Wing Cap Stage
Gah, this is easily the worst level in maybe the whole game. If you miss one of the early red coins in the sky it is basically over. In perspective, the structuring of the level highlights the Wing Cap. The problem? The Wing Cap is terrible. The imposed ceiling on the Wing Cap is obvious by design. I might could continue speaking on this course, but I think I will move on from here.
Bowser in the Fire Sea
This might be my favorite of the Bowser stages but I do feel it also the weakest (look, us bloggers don’t have to make sense.) This is an awesome level to watch speed runners run through, but it’s so hit or miss actually playing it. I actually like the level layout fair enough and the three sections of the level flow pretty smooth. In fact, if you tried to tell me this was the best level in the game. I would not even argue with you. The fact of the matter is I simply do not like fire levels a lot.
Winged Mario Over The Rainbow
Simply put, it is another flying level. A lot of these secret levels were designed to highlight some of the harder mechanics. This is put on display with the fact we have 2 Wing Cap secret stages… Ugh. However, this level also highlights why Wing Cap Stage is utter trash. Now, I said Wing Cap Stage is an introduction of the Wing Cap and why it is not great in this game in particular. Over the Rainbow is so much more massive in design, scale, skill, and every other measurable metric that how can you not look back at Wing Cap Stage and see anything but simply a bad level.
Bowser in the Sky
Boy, I want to really like this level. I do enjoy watching people show off all the crazy shortcuts and skips in this stage. The scale is simply massive. But, I just do not enjoy the dark and unforgiving nature of this level. Now, I can not like a stage but still respect it. I sure do respect the heck out of this stage. I can fully appreciate this level without wanting to play it again. Very cool level.
Vanish Cap Stage
I really wanted to squeeze this level in higher, and maybe I could have. Still, when it got to crunch time the turning platforms at the end caused the lower scoring. Remove that ending and this might have got number 2.
Metal Cap Stage
I enjoy a lot about this course. I have been debating on if the small scale nature of the level helped it or hurt it. I guess since it cracks this high on the list, it did not hurt it that bad. I feel like I always connected with the Metal Cap simply because it is green and my favorite color is green. Maybe that is not fair. But that is how it is. Still, the compact nature of this stage helps its design. The red coins are a fun hunt in this stage. If there was a weak point, it would have to be how unforgiving the water mechanic is with new players or even an easy mistake from veterans. If you get lost in the current and end up in the moat, it is a hard time getting back.
Bowser in the Dark Sea
In a lot of these entries, you will read me say “I really liked this stage. I want to rank it higher.”. Not this time. I actually don’t think I like this course very much. In fact, I think I normally get as many stars as you can (which I think comes out to around 32 or so stars?) before tackling this course. However, there is no denying how iconic this course is to me, personally. Making the ascent up the “Dark Sea, was it?” collecting all the red coins, vanquishing the foes, dodging the fire and avoiding all the insta-deaths, was so nerve wracking. I cannot tell you how many times I get to 7 coins and bump my head or miss the jump and you fall right down to your death. Still no denying how much this level gave me nightmares as a kid.
The Secret Aquarium
What a level, right? Yes, this is easily the most simple level in the whole game. But I cannot deny the atmosphere here. The windows revealing a whole new world outside their glass, the fishes swimming in the water, the calming music. Quite frankly, for as simple as this level is, it is darn near perfect. I do not have a lot to say about this level. It is just bliss.
The Princess’s Secret Slide
This is it, boys. This is sliding perfection. Someone answer me this. Was there a slide in a 3D video game prior to this? If so, tell me below. I am not sure why I am so fascinated with sliding levels, but dang it I am. I think it had to do with the mysticism of the timed star. Racing the clock, cutting off precious seconds where we could, riding the edges trying not to fall but go as fast as you could, just trying to beat that time limit. Than, once we discovered the jumping off the side shortcut, this level became an obsession. Since this, I have secretly (or maybe not so secretly at this point) judged every game I play on if it has a slide level or not.
Alright guys, there you have it. That’s my rankings. You probably wont agree. That is okay. Sound down below how you would rank these levels.
Next week is Spooky Week here on Dahubbz. So, start getting ready for all things spoky. I say this now so you guys have a heads up. Also, so you know we will not be concluding this series next Friday. Instead, we are kicking around the idea of “Top Five Creepiest Pokemons”. Hope that sounds cool to everyone.
As always, thanks for reading. Have a great day!
![Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2](https://dahubbz.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/super_mario_64_box_cover.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2")
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2
Hey guys, since this is part 2 of this series, I decided Ill skip the opening. If you missed part one, check it out here: Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 1
Alright. Let’s jump into it.
#10 Tiny Huge Island
Tiny Huge Island will get all its points for sheer creativity. The double entrance changes Mario size. If Mario runs towards the towering picture, he will be tiny entering the level (is the island huge?). Conversely, if he enters the picture where he is large, the island is tiny. Mario (or the island’s) size changes some dynamics. Some stars can only be obtained depending on if Mario is huge or tiny. However, I just do not enjoy this level. This is kind of surprising considering I love beach levels. Still, this is fun-ish level to run around and is far from terrible.
#9 Lethal Lava Land
Since making a Youtube channel, I have replayed SM64 about 5 or more times. Lethal Lava Land is one of the levels that has benefitted the most in all those replays. I can speed run this level pretty quickly. However, this level shows some of the strengths and weaknesses of the game. For starters, two of the stars are just rehasings. You fight the bullies twice for 2 separate stars. The 8 red coins, while cool, is very simple. The 100 coins are not too hard but they can be unforgiven. Overall, I like it but it falls short of greatness.
#8 Cool, Cool Mountain
Cool, Cool Mountain was probably the first level that blow me away. Perhaps as a six year old every level blew my mind. However, the structure of this level was ginormous. This level helped birth my fascination for slide levels in video games. As a kid, escorting the baby penguin was such a tall task. Now, I love grabbing the baby penguin and saying “Hold on, bucko. Here we go!” and jump off the side of the mountain. The 8 red coins felt like a legitimate scavenger hunt. It hurts to rank this level so low, but seriously, the levels above it are soo good.
#7 Hazy Maze Cave
Or as I call it Hazy Mazy Cavey. Ugh, I do not enjoy this level, honestly. But the scope of this level is great. It is not over enjoyable but it is diverse. You have the switch pad sections, which are not fun but they are a cool concept. You have the actual maze, which also is not fun but is a cool concept. You have the underground lake part which actually is not very fun either but is a cool concept. You have the metal cap switch level which I guess isn’t that much fun either but it is a cool concept. Oh, yeah than there’s the rolling rock part which, now that I think about it, isn’t that much fun either but it is a cool concept. What can I say? I’m mostly joking, but I am serious at the same time. This level is made up of very cool and different sections that are not great on their own, but make for a very interesting level. I mean, Cool, Cool Mountain is certainly more fun than Hazy Maze Cave but there’s two snow levels, like 10 water levels, at least 2 fire levels. I say all that to say Hazy Maze Cave stands out as a unique level with unique ideas. That is why it scores higher despite probably being the least fun level up this high on the list.
#6 Whomp’s Fortress
Seriously, from this point on every level is “Man, it kills me to rank this level so low.” Whomp’s Fortress is an absolute joy to explore but it is really simple compared to the rest of the levels left on the list. The first level involves an epic ascent up Whomp’s Fortress to battle with Whomp himself. What is really cool about this level is everything past the first star. Whomp’s battle ring has been replaced by an even taller tower which changes the dynamic of how to climb the fortress. It even gives access to a new section made of floating platforms that allow you to complete the red coin mission. You also can now more reliably get inside the cage for it’s star. All in all, it is a small level, which hurts it sadly, but is still a bright and fun explorable level.
Okay, that is levels 10-6 and makes up the second part of my list. What will emerge as the top level? I’d love to say find out in the next installment. However, we will be ranking the side levels next. So be sure to follow for more Mario 64 content!
Thanks for reading. Have a great day!
Top 5 Changes in Pokemon from Gen 1 to 2
Today, we will be diving into changes and additions made between the first 2 generations of Pokemon. This list is of my opinions and Id love to hear what you guys think are the best additions.
HM New Pokeballs. The Gen 2 Pokeballs have been the focal point of a past blog post. They are coming in as an Honorable Mention because, at the end of the day, they sadly were not that great. I watched a video discussing how half of these Pokeballs did not alter the catch rate like they claimed. Despite not living up to their hype, it was still Gamefreak flexing some creative muscles and trying to add some depth to a simple concept like the Pokeball. I still to this day have fond memories of this addition from the days of the anime.
#5 Making Legendary Pokemons apart of the story- Do not get me wrong, Mewtwo is awesome and is still the Macdaddy of legendary Pokemons. However, he is barely mentioned at all through the main story. In Gen 2, Suicune, Ho-oh, Lugia, and even Celebi come up in dialogue quite often. Ecruteak City is one of the more memorable towns in all of the Pokemon regions due to it being a big central location of the story. While I think legendaries did not hit their stride unto Hoenn, Gen 2 set a precedent for making the legendary Pokemon more of point to the story.
#4 Rematches- The deeper I get into this, the more I realize a “Features Generation 3 expanded on” is going to be an easy blog. Rematches were sorely missing from Generation 1. The reason this is a big deal is because it limited experience and money the player could earn. Beating other trainers dishes out the most experience and cash flow. Generation 2 introduced rematches. Thanks to the Pokegear, the player could receive random phone calls from trainers they have beaten in the past.
#3 Held Items- Pokemons holding items seems like a concept as old as the game itself. However, this feature was an addition added in Johto. They showcased this by having your starter hold a berry. Which was a nice touch in the early stages of the game. But this is not even the best example nor does it illustrate the role items have had. From using the experience share to help aid you in leveling up, to the choice items (scarf, band, sash). Later generations have even added Mega Stones, Z moves, and evolites. Needless to say, held items have become such a crucial part of the game.
#2 Genders- This extends to pokemons and trainers. In the Kanto days there was just one trainer Red. Also pokemons were genderless. In Generation 2 the world was introduced to a female trainer. While I am a Male Pokemon trainer, it would be foolish to not recognize the growing number of female trainers playing this awesome game. It’s only natural Pokemon would evolve to the point where we had female trainers represented in the game. Still, good on you Gamefreak for making this simple but much needed addition. As for pokemon’s gender, well we will get to that in the next point.
#1 Breeding- Breeding is and was the definition of a game changer! It introduced baby forms (Pichu, Magby, Elekid to name a few). Which was really it’s claim to fame in Gen 2. When later games added natures, evs, and ivs, breeding became paramount. It was at the forefront of any serious competitive team. Generation 2 also saw egg moves become a part of the game thanks to breeding. Some Pokemons could only learn a move by having that move passed down from the parent Pokemon. With different egg groups, exclusive egg moves, competitive breeding for perfect ivs and nature, and the introduction of baby Pokemons, I would have to give Breeding the number 1 spot on Top changes and additions from Gen 1 to 2!
Thanks for reading everybody!
Have a great day!
Top 5 Characters to add to Super Smash Brothers Switch!
With E3 right around the corner, and a I am sure a Nintendo Direct will sneak out before than, we should probably discuss this topic before anymore leaks happen.
I will be doing the top 5 character’s I want added to smash as well as a few honorable mentions.
#5 Wonder Red (From Wonderful 101)
I recently did a Try Out Thursday a few weeks back for the Wonderful 101. I love this idea and I feel like he is on of the easiest locks for the new roster. 1 big reason is because his move set is easy enough because he is from a fighting game. His final smash could even be his super punch
.
The second reason is due to some hype and rumors of the Wonderful 101 coming to switch. Why not use Smash 5 as a launch pad for advertising the series. There was hype for this game, but due to the Wii U having bad sells not many people got to play this game. Porting it over to the switch just seems like common sense, and featuring the main protagonist seems natural.
#4 A new Pokemon character. (From the Pokemon Series)
This is a fun one to discuss. We could talk forever about which of the over 800 Pokemon will grace the newest roster. I, for one, would love for it to be a sneak peek into Gen 8. Heck, make a stage based off a new city. Another school of thought I’ve seen is a Gen 7 pokemon. These would be okemons from Sun and Moon. So I am going to give you guys my pick for a Gen 7 Pokemon. I’ll go with Tapu Koko for now. There is honestly 5 or so I could put in this spot (maybe an idea for another post?) but for now I’ll put Tapu KoKo
He is undoubtly one of the coolest Pokemons from the Alolan region. I am actually not sure how confident I am in this pick solely due to the fact that Pikachu will, without a doubt, be on the official roster.
I have a strange feeling this spot could be a Generation 1 Pokemon. The Kanto hype is real with Gamefreak and I am little worried they are trying to play it safe. What Kanto Pokemon would I give it to? Dragonite, of course.
In my opinion Dragon type has been the defining type for Pokemon (maybe psychic too). Yet, a dragon pokemon has yet to appear on the roster. He seems like a safe bet if they go with with a Kanto pokemon. Another prediction could be that Mewtwo is back without having to jump through the DLC hoop.
#3 Funky Kong (Donkey Kong Series notably Tropical Freeze)
Here’s another one like Wonder Red. They just ported Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze to the switch. One of the big add on’s is the Funky Mode. He is a really awesome character who just brings good vibes the second he hits the screen. Other than that I don’t have a whole lot to say. DK is one of their best selling games, Funky is a great character, and free advertisement. All this seems like a no brainer. Isn’t that right Funky
#2 The Champions (From Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
The Champions are from the latest Zelda game. They are really cool characters that all have their own personalities and attitudes. They feel like a call back to the sages from Ocarina of Time. It is kinda hard to imagine all four of them getting in, but I would assume they are popular enough to justify it.
Mipha (The Zora aka the red fish lady) is the character I think who has the hardest chance of getting added as she is healer. However, contrary I could see Link being granted all the champions powers. Mipha’s grace could reduce some of the precentage, Revali Gale could be Link’s recovery. Durak’s Protection could allow Link to reflect projectiles. Urbosa’s Fury could be his final smash.
Theres a couple of cool ways I could see them handling the Champions. One way or another, this is the safest of safe bets. They will be in the game whether they are roster characters or assist trophies.
Honorable mentions
Banjo Kazooie (From the Banjo Kazooie series)
Geno (From Super Mario RPG)
Knuckles (From the Sonic series)
I don’t have many memories with these characters. I’ve never owned any of their games really, but they are all either beloved or high level profile characters that would add charm and increase the wealth of characters on the roster. It seems like with each new Smash fan outcry increases for characters like Geno and Banjo.
#1 Hat Kid
Of course it is Hat Kid. I love her death and A Hat in Time has easily become a top 5 game in my eyes. Her umbrella would be her attack. She has a grapple for her recovery. She can equip badges in the game which gives her access to a scooter, a magnet like field to suck in items, and even the ability to kamehameha (for real). Characters always have alternative colors and costumes and Hat Kid lends herself perfectly to this as well. She has many hats which could serve as alternative costumes. She has the sprint cap which could make her run faster like the bunny hood. She has the brewer’s cap which could give her access to a projectile attack. She even has a time stop hat but that might be too powerful. All these hats could also simply be cosmetic in nature instead to simplify things. Either way, I see so much potential for the little Hat Kid that I hope she finds her way on the roster!
So that’s my top 5 characters I want added to smash. Who are yours? Let me know down in the comments.
Thanks for reading my post! Have a great day.
More post from me:
Manga Review: My Hero Academia
Games I want on the N64 Mini/Classic
Da_Hubbz 